Clinical research director vs research nurse

The differences between clinical research directors and research nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a clinical research director and a research nurse. Additionally, a clinical research director has an average salary of $100,744, which is higher than the $53,463 average annual salary of a research nurse.

The top three skills for a clinical research director include patients, clinical trials and oversight. The most important skills for a research nurse are patients, informed consent, and data collection.

Clinical research director vs research nurse overview

	Clinical Research Director	Research Nurse
Yearly salary	$100,744	$53,463
Hourly rate	$48.43	$25.70
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	98,335	46,665
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

What does a clinical research director do?

Clinical research directors are responsible for providing leadership in a clinical research setting. These directors oversee the development and evaluation of drugs and the program designs to prevent and treat contagious diseases as a part of their main responsibility. They gather information on progress reports and create new strategies to present them to higher management. This job requires them to have strong communication and leadership skills to thrive in their role and confidence in themselves to perform their duties without worry.

What does a research nurse do?

A research nurse specializes in conducting studies and scientific research for healthcare and medical development. They may work for medical facilities, private clinics, learning institutions, and government agencies. It is their duty to design research strategies and procedures, gather and analyze samples through various scientific methods, coordinate with other experts, and develop treatment and healthcare plans to optimize patient services and outcomes. Moreover, a research nurse typically works with a team of researchers, which requires an active communication line while adhering to the organization's policies and regulations.

Clinical research director vs research nurse salary

Clinical research directors and research nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Clinical Research Director	Research Nurse
Average salary	$100,744	$53,463
Salary range	Between $66,000 And $153,000	Between $38,000 And $74,000
Highest paying City	Foster City, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	California	New York
Best paying company	Amgen	Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings
Best paying industry	Pharmaceutical	Pharmaceutical

Differences between clinical research director and research nurse education

There are a few differences between a clinical research director and a research nurse in terms of educational background:

	Clinical Research Director	Research Nurse
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Duke University

Clinical research director vs research nurse demographics

Here are the differences between clinical research directors' and research nurses' demographics:

	Clinical Research Director	Research Nurse
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 41.3% Female, 58.7%	Male, 9.2% Female, 90.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 9.2% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 8.4% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between clinical research director and research nurse duties and responsibilities

Clinical research director example responsibilities.

Coordinate and manage appropriate training for research staff (GCP, ICH, CLIA, protocol training, etc .).
Manage all regulatory documentation and correspondence require by sponsor and IRB.
Manage all planning and execution of oncology clinical trials, domestic and international, including decision impact and companion diagnostic trials.
Interpret and apply ICH/ GCP guidelines and deliver staff training via NIH, CITI, FDA and sponsor provide materials.
Select potential patients for participation in clinical trials.
Provide oversight for the oncology clinical research program.

Research nurse example responsibilities.

Collect, manage and analyze preliminary data using SPSS statistical software.
Adhere to local and country specific GCP and ICH guidelines.
Ensure coordinator and investigator compliance with GCP and ICH guidelines.
Assure compliance with good clinical practice (GCP) guidelines and FDA regulations.
Ensure appropriate source documentation, drug accountability and study compliance according to GCP and CFR.
Oversee study protocol implementation to ensure compliance with FDA and other regulatory bodies' rules and regulations.

Clinical research director vs research nurse skills

Common clinical research director skills

Patients, 21%
Clinical Trials, 12%
Oversight, 7%
FDA, 6%
GCP, 6%
Clinical Development, 6%

Common research nurse skills

Patients, 18%
Informed Consent, 11%
Data Collection, 5%
IRB, 5%
Oncology, 4%
Research Projects, 4%

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Clinical Research Director
Clinical Research Director vs Research Nurse

Updated January 8, 2025

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